Kitchen reveal!! White/cherry with caesarstone

swfrJanuary 28, 2014

Hi lovely GW,
I have been waiting for the day when I can finally share my reveal and although we haven't officially moved in, I think this is about as good as it's going to get. Because although the island stools have been ordered but aren't here yet and the breakfast area table is still in storage, at least this also means there isn't junk everywhere yet. It's looking rather pristine/bare now and soon will have a much more "lived in" look. :)

This has been a long, strange trip-- from starting with the floorplans that the builder had created (and we had signed off on) to realizing (thanks to some firm but loving guidance of many important GWers) that it was less than optimal. There were many hours spent on GW revising our floorplan over and over again to get everything figured out.

Originally the kitchen/first floor was going to be laid out like this:

And eventually this is what I came up with thanks to some brilliant and generous advice givers on here: (This is obviously just a sketch of the back half of the first floor--- the front half of the house remained the same.)

So obviously I have GW to thank for the entire layout of the kitchen. But this website also played a huge role in helping me find (and become brave enough to demand) a better line of cabinets than my builder was going to use. This allowed me to get the exact look I wanted, without spending very much more money. I might be the most grateful member of this community.

Here's the view from the breakfast table. There will be four stools along the front of the island.

Here's the view of the clean up area with a view of the forest/farmland/mountains out our back. I claim that this might actually make me *want* to do the dishes but my husband says he needs to see it to believe it! The storage to the right of the dishwasher is where all of our everyday dishware and glassware will be stored. (Excuse the handle on that little drawer. The right one is getting ordered.)

The GE dual fuel range and the built-in ventahood that I had to work so hard to get. With 15" deep cabinets flanking it on each side.

Piatra Grey Caesarstone close-up. It is so pretty in person!

Frosty Carrina Caesarstone to give you an idea of how creamy it is with just flecks of grey veining. It is impossible to get a good picture of it. It looks pink in this picture and it is NOT AT ALL pink in person.

The run of the cooking wall has a built-in 4" ledge that I dreamed up to give me a little storage space behind the range for oils and stuff, but also makes the regular depth fridge look more built-in. It is the thing I am getting the most compliments about from visitors seeing the kitchen for the first time. It allowed me to use standard-depth cabinets on the bottom to get this look of deeper counters. I highly recommend this design element!

A view looking out from the island. The open door back there is my large walk-in pantry. The breakfast area is right there in front of the blue wall and the family room is just beyond that. The cased in door to the right leads to the dining room.

That's the whole tour! Thank you to each and every person who was on this journey with me. I keep feeling like I should get a little piece of art of a spiderweb to hand somewhere in the kitchen to remind me of how much credit is due to the "web" and all of you!

Your kitchen is gorgeous! I am considering Medallion cabinets and your choices are absolutely beautiful. I love the mix of island and perimeter cabinet finishes along with the countertop differences. Everything works very well together. Congrats!

What a cool idea that ledge is! And it makes a nice accent. I love the layout, style and colors you've used. It's my kind of kitchen (if I had more space). That window with that view really makes it special. Good job!!!

It looks like such a nice place to be!! this it's a kitchen you could really get alot done in. Love the pendants! Love the cabinets! Love the hardware! Love the sinks and faucets!! Love the ledge behind the range! Love the turn of the counter on either side of the range!

I'm going to stop going back to the photos and noticing new details i love now bc this could go on all night.

I have "traditional" Ceasarstone too, and it looks like mine is the same thickness, which is 3 cm (it only comes in 2 cm and 3 cm - we used a 2 cm remnant in one bathroom, with a laminated edge, and 3cms in the kitchen and the other bathroom.

I think one of the nicest thing you said is that due to what you learned here, you had the strength to demand better cabinets. So many times we're bowled over by "you don't git.." And after having signed off on your plan, having the wisdom to change it to something more suitable for how you're actually going to live.

I don't think those who really put in some time here, get to hear things like that very often. Credit, yes. Such a deep difference, no.

Great job.
And how could you not want to do the dishes, just to get to zone out in front of that window!

Wonderful layout, beautiful cabinets and counters, and defining details like the ledge and pendants, I just love it all. You won't wash dishes there, you'll be enjoying the view, indoors and out! I like the pantry placement, too. Enjoy it for years!

Congratulations! Let me join in the chorus of cheers for the ledge! That looks so sharp and unexpected. And a great way to cover the gap to the fridge without going CD. And that perfect placement of the sink!

So happy to see your reveal. Your beautiful kitchen is a true GW success story. I remember how the people here explained step by step how to build your hood & mantel. I was so impressed by the knowledge that was being shared. I was also feeling sorry for you because you did have to battle to get what you wanted.
About the ledge (love it), your cabinets are sitting in front of the ledge? Which made your countertop deeper & your frig look built-in? Brilliant!
Love everything, especially your countertops, your hood, pendants & "the ledge!"

I think it was deedles that wanted to see inside the pantry so I'm going to C&P the post I just made revealing it with the shelves that were just installed. It's going to be a crucial part of the kitchen, so it seems like it belongs here too:

The final step of my kitchen project was finished this morning and OH BOY. I am happy. :) Once again the wisdom of GW helped me design something that I hope will be super functional. I can't wait to get in there and organize everything. My label maker is going to be busy!

The shelves are differing depths and their heights are totally adjustable, so they will not be staying as they are pictured-- the installer just put them all in with even spacing. On the left wall the front shelves are 10" and the back shelves are 14". The ones on the right (past the supplemental fridge) are 20" deep for platters, bulk paper towels, boxes of soda cans, etc. And the shorter bookshelf on the back wall are going to be used as a sort of "command central" with a big white board/cork board hung above to be the area for grocery lists, calendars, phone lists, etc. I'll be using the shelves for filing bills and keeping school papers organized.

I had to look at this kitchen again to see your beautiful counters (thinking of the Pietra Gray now that you and Gooster have) and the way you were able to make your refrigerator look counter depth. I also love your floors! I have to choose engineered wood floors for the rest of my downstairs and I took note of your Mullican hickory saddle engineered hardwoods and will check it out in the store before I commit back to the Brazilian Cherry that I have now that got damaged with my flood from my water heater. Thank you for sharing your beautiful kitchen.

This was an awesome tribute to GW Kitchens and the fine folks that hang ouy here! Your kitchen is amazing...of course....but the real heroes are those that taught those who were willing to listen and the empowerment that resulted.

Congratulations, I am sorry to have missed your journey but the finish is amazing.

I love it all. Pantry is wonderful - so practical with those deep shelves for large, hard-to-store items and paper towels, yet plenty of 10" shelves so food items don't get lost. And I love having the command center in there. You need that stuff nearby and handy, but not necessarily in plain sight. Great thinking!